nozzle electrics

[Smeeagain]

The screen wash pumps on my 2004 E53 3.0 are powered, obviously, but in trying to remove the washer nozzles I note that they have a power supply to them also - why???

Smee

[lezmtaylor]

To heat them up,stop freezing.

Lez

[Horizon]

I believe some have a heater that come on like the heated mirrors ( at a preset temp, supplied. Y the ambient temp sensor. To stop them freezing in winter.
Edit
You beat me to it Lez by 20 seconds

[henrym3]

I wondered about that, my mirrors defrosted in winter but there's no switch and I just recently undressed the bonnet to have it resprayed and the nozzles have wires attached with no switch. Just proves the point, if you need to know something this is the place to be.

[Smeeagain]

Thanks for the promo replies gents, so Henry, if you undressed the bonnet for respraying you can tell me how to remove the nozzles please for cleaning... ? Ive had a look a few times and just see lots of plastic clips to break !!

[henrym3]

Hi Smee, the electrical connection is a straight forward lift the locking lug a little bit and pull the connection apart. The water line is a pull apart item although it needed considerably more effort, there's no locks or tabs, just a tight fit. This now leaves the washer jet attached to the air vent inlet which I then removed complete, removing the vent is by far the most difficult simply because the tabs are 15 years old and even look brittle, I warmed them with an air gun and found that they needed to be taken out a little at a time, ie push in clip and lift air vent 2mm, work your way round vent till it pops out. Don't know if you actually need to heat the clips or not but as I didn't break any I'd use the method again if needed.

[X5-D-Sport]

So, Henry sir.... what is it that tells the heated mirrors to power-up, do they come on with the heated rear window or simply sense the outside temps when you start up ?

[Smeeagain]

[quote="henrym3"]
Hi Smee, the electrical connection is a straight forward lift the locking lug a little bit and pull the connection apart. The water line is a pull apart item although it needed considerably more effort, there's no locks or tabs, just a tight fit. This now leaves the washer jet attached to the air vent inlet which I then removed complete, removing the vent is by far the most difficult simply because the tabs are 15 years old and even look brittle, I warmed them with an air gun and found that they needed to be taken out a little at a time, ie push in clip and lift air vent 2mm, work your way round vent till it pops out. Don't know if you actually need to heat the clips or not but as I didn't break any I'd use the method again if needed.
[/quote]

Ok thanks. I want to be able to clean out the nozzles - can you see how to detach them from the vent?
15 years old - wow, you must be on a fair old mileage?

[henrym3]

Sorry Smee, the air vents are back on now and I don't want to guess at how the nozzles might come off the air vents. The milage is 132k, paintwork is excellent, runs great BUT am just about to replace the rear brake lines.
X5-D-Sport, I don't know for definate but Horizon's take on how they work seems the most likely, I never noticed that they were in sync with the heated rear window. I'll have to wait and hope next winter is horrible so I can do some more investigation ::) 

[Horizon]

e46 but may be the same idea. https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&sourc ... KXeHq3RpFA